Potions and Promises
by wolfenqueenyuri
Summary: Regina brews a love potion to very interesting results. Golden Queen AU.


Author's note: It has not been the best time to be a Golden Queen shipper lately, and I've had this particular piece of head-canon sitting around for over a year. I thought it would be nice to finally get it out on paper before the new episode airs and likely destroys the hopes of my tiny little shipping camp. I'm still hoping for a miracle, but the show has disappointed my so much lately that I'm bracing myself for the worst. For the record: I will never stop shipping or writing these two, but it's all going to fall under an AU label from now on. Granted that's not much of a change as nearly everything I've written for this pair has been AU all along.

Potions and Promises

"I still don't get why I can't just come with you," Regina groused while she assisted Rumpelstiltskin in preparing for his trip.

The goblin sighed tiredly. "I already told you, Gin. Agrabah is a dangerous place, especially for an untested witch."

"Then _test_ me!" There was understandable frustration in the fledgling sorceress's tone. "Give me a challenge: a way to prove to you that I'm ready to move forward!"

"Regina…" he turned around, prepared to let her down easy, only for the words to die in his throat when he saw just how adorable she looked sitting on the end of the table.

Her skirts were gathered so she could dangle her feet over the edge, and she was swinging her legs in an entirely girlish manner that matched the pout on her ruby-colored lips.

Instantly, Rumpelstiltskin's heart began to melt. "Are you really that eager?"

She nodded rapidly, and he had to bite back a laugh.

Shaking his head in amusement, he walked to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "All right. While I'm gone, go into the library and look through the potions books: choose the most difficult one you can find to brew, and when I get back, we'll test it and I'll tell you if you're ready to move into the next stage of your training."

Regina arched an eyebrow. "A potion? Really? Shouldn't we try something more…darkly suited?"

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. "There's more to magic than the dark arts, love. A skilled potions-maker is far more valuable, and there are many dangerous concoctions out there that can prove very useful."

"But— she started to protest, only to be silenced by her mentor placing his fingers ever-so-lightly over her mouth.

"Look, I know how much you want to prove yourself, but running headfirst into a dangerous situation isn't the way to do it. If anything happened to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," his tone was remarkably kind, and her heart skipped a beat when he ran his free hand through the dark locks of her hair tenderly.

Her gaze softened and she brought her hand up to his, tangling their fingers together. "Are you really that worried?"

"Well…" he leaned in, his dark gaze glittering in a manner that made her breath catch. "It wouldn't do to lose my most promising student, now, would it?"

She felt herself growing lightheaded as he inched closer and closer. "No…no I suppose it wouldn't."

He smiled warmly, and then he tilted his head up so that his lips brushed against her forehead: a gesture that both relieved and disappointed Regina.

On the one hand: she desired the man in front of her more than anyone else in their realm. On the other: she wasn't quite ready to declare her feelings. However, for that brief moment, she could pretend that Rumpelstiltskin's heart was entirely hers; so she closed her eyes and reveled in the affection.

He pulled back and framed Regina's face between his hands. "I'm not punishing you, lass. Brewing a potion is a difficult task that requires patience and skill, and I'm sure whatever you end up making will impress me."

She managed a small smile. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No, I mean it," he insisted. "But if it also keeps you safe here, in the castle…"

At that, she chuckled. "You're not worried about me destroying it accidentally in the process of whatever I make?"

"I'd rather a destroyed castle with a safe Regina than a destroyed Regina and an immaculate castle," the goblin confessed.

His words made her heart flutter and she pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek before murmuring: "Go then…but be careful."

"I always am, love."

Smiling fondly, Regina grabbed Rumpelstiltskin's travelling cloak and draped it over his shoulders before fastening the clasp, and then handed him the provisions he needed for his journey.

He aimed a confident grin in her direction, and then took her hand in his and gallantly kissed the tips of her fingers. "Until we meet again, my lady,"

And with that, he disappeared in a plume of purple-colored smoke, which left Regina standing there, breathing in the scent of magic and already missing him.

Rumpelstiltskin's library was vast, and full of thick tomes on all types of magic. Regina knew that it had taken over a century for him to gather all the books, as he had told her many thrilling tales of his adventures during their time together.

As she searched for the texts on potions making, she began to dwell on private thoughts about her mentor. They had grown quite close over the many months spent in each other's company, and she knew that her feelings had turned far from platonic. Unfortunately, she had no clue if the goblin felt the same way.

He _was_ kind to her, though stern in his teachings, and they had shared small moments of affection: but did that even mean anything?

Rumpelstiltskin was notoriously difficult to read, and that was part of the reason Regina was attracted to him. She desperately wanted to peel away the layers of defenses he had put up around his heart, but she had absolutely no idea how to go about it.

All of a sudden, the sorceress was jolted out of her reverie by a book abruptly flying into her line of vision.

Regina stared in shock at it for a moment before noticing the title: _Love Spells and Potions_.

There was a beat of silence before she tentatively reached out for the book.

It floated into her hands and opened automatically, flipping through several pages until it landed on a page entitled _Amant Verite._

"A lover's truth," Regina murmured, caressing over the shape of the letters. She glanced below to read the inscription that described the potion. "Hmm…seems complex…" slowly, she traced her fingers over the recipe, debating internally. "And Rum did want me to pick something challenging."

She contemplated a few moments more before making a decision, and then snapped the book closed and headed to Rumpelstiltskin's lab to gather the ingredients needed.

Regina learned very quickly that Rumpelstiltskin had been right about brewing potions: it was an art-form that required patience and skill.

She was determined not to mess it up, and she discovered that the more she let her emotions guide her, the easier the task became.

The sorceress was so caught up in her work that she failed to notice the hours pass.

It was after midnight by the time Rumpelstiltskin returned from his trip.

He was careful to enter the castle quietly, as he didn't want to disturb Regina if she was sleeping, but then he noticed that there was light emanating from beneath the dining room door.

Curious, he removed his cloak and boots, and then crept forward and pushed the door open.

He was greeted by the sight of Regina bustling around, adding ingredients to a potion that she was diligently composing.

The image of his student so engrossed in her work made the goblin smile, and he called out to her: "Regina, did you lose track of the time?"

He did not intend to startle her, but that was exactly what happened.

His apprentice yelped in surprise, whirling to face him, and, by sheer accident, knocked over the cauldron that was brewing in front of her.

Rumpelstiltskin leapt into action, rushing forward to protect her when the contents hit the ground and there was an explosion of pink, sweet-smelling smoke.

Though he rolled them both out of the way, the damage was already done: they were covered entirely in the potion.

For several moments, it was quiet as the pair tried to recover from the unexpected shock.

Rumpelstiltskin was the first to find his voice again. "Are you all right?"

Slowly, she tilted her head in order to meet his gaze, her heart still pounding in her chest and her cheeks flushing as she realized just how close he was. "I think so…"

His dark gaze was full of concern, which only made her heart beat faster, and she gradually became aware of how intimately they were pressed together…and how neither of them was making a move to separate.

Carefully, Rumpelstiltskin settled back just enough to inspect Regina, his brow furrowing when he noticed that there was a burn mark on her wrist. Gingerly, her took her hand within his and looked over it more carefully. "When did this happen?"

"Earlier this evening," she confessed. "I was careless when I conjured the fire."

"Let's get that fixed up," he murmured, and then he pressed his hand as gently as possible over the burn.

Instantly, a cooling sensation rushed over her skin, and she once again found herself staring at the goblin as he focused on healing her.

She quickly became transfixed, her gaze raking over his striking features, noting the way the dim light of the room caused the gold that dusted his skin to glimmer and caught the copper in his hair.

Regina had always found Rumpelstiltskin alluring, but at that moment, her attraction to him was nearly unbearable, and she had to bite back a moan when he shifted enough for the collar of his shirt to reveal just a bit more of his chest.

He looked up at her unexpectedly, which caused her to swallow nervously and tuck a strand of hair back over her ear in what she hoped was a casual manner. "Thank you."

He smiled slightly, and was unable to repress a chuckle when he gestured at her hair. "You're covered in pink."

She glanced down at herself, and then looked back over at him with a smirk. "So are you…and I must say Rumpel, it doesn't suit you."

He laughed softly and leaned closer. "What were you making?"

"Oh just this one recipe I thought I'd try in a book I found…" she trailed off when he snapped his fingers and the book she'd left lying on the table appeared in his hands.

She cursed mentally as he read over the page, but to her relief, he didn't appear angry at all, just amused.

He closed the book and grinned. "Love potions?"

"Don't you dare make fun!" she pointed a finger at him accusatorily.

The goblin smirked, but refrained from doing so. "Wouldn't dream of it. Besides, love potions are notoriously difficult to perfect."

"That much I'm aware of," she looked down and sighed forlornly. "I'm sorry I almost destroyed your dining hall in the process."

"The furniture can be replaced," he shook his head, reaching out and curling his fingers under her chin and tilting it up so she could look directly in his eyes. "You, on the other hand, cannot."

It _had_ to be the potion that was causing all-too pleasant warmth to rush through her at that particular moment.

Rumpelstiltskin was well aware of it too: his gaze lingering on Regina's lips as she drew in a shaky breath.

The space between them seemed to grow smaller and smaller, and she gulped before managing in as stable as tone as she could: "Is it just me, or is it a little warm in here?"

His fingers curled into her pinned-up hair. "Not just you."

She tried to clear her head, but all she could focus on was how desperately she wanted to kiss him. "I think the potion is affecting us."

"Oh, it's been affecting us since it exploded; I just wasn't sure until I touched you."

"So…we're attracted to each other due to that then?"

"It's a bit more complex. Love potions are, at their heart, little more than an aphrodisiac. The thing is: a love potion can't work unless the two parties involved actually feel something for each other."

Her breath caught in her throat. "You mean…you actually feel something for me?"

He quirked his head and began to tug the pins that kept her hair in a bun away as gently as possible. "I thought if I said anything, it'd distract you."

"You've been doing _that_ since the day we met," she countered, throwing caution to the wind and resting her hands upon his chest. "…and just how powerful an aphrodisiac are we talking about?"

Having succeeded at taking her hair down, the goblin moved onto his next task: unbuttoning the leather vest she wore over her blouse in a slow, agonizing manner. "Let's just say the effects will last for a few days."

"And there goes getting any work done," she muttered, her hands travelling down and tugging his shirt out from his leather pants.

There was a low, sensual chuckle from her mentor, and he lifted his hands obligingly so she could whisk the garment over his head. "I don't personally see a problem with this."

"Of course you don't," she gave him a look and then dragged him forward so their lips could meet, done with talking for now.

He went more than willingly, claiming her mouth in a fervent kiss that caused her to curl as close as possible.

Desire sparked very quickly due to the potion's magic, and in very little time the pair was naked and reclining back together on the plush rug that decorated the floor in front of the fireplace.

The feel of his skin against hers was a type of magic in itself: one that she couldn't get enough of, the pair worshipping one another with touch as they met over and over in ardent kisses.

A low moan escaped Regina when Rumpelstiltskin's lips strayed from hers in order to gain purchase on her neck, those clever fingers of his sweeping over the curve of her hip to draw them as close as possible.

She clung to his shoulders when his mouth drifted down along her throat, pausing at her clavicle before moving lower and lingering over her breasts in a manner that drove her absolutely insane with lust.

Sliding a leg against his, she twisted and turned the tides: pinning him beneath her and then taking complete advantage of having him at her mercy.

It became a playful battle for dominance after that, bites and scratches exchanged between kisses and caresses until, finally, they joined together.

For a moment, they went entirely still: adjusting to the feel of being one and meeting each other's eyes as they realized just how perfectly they fit together: as if they had been made for each other in the first place.

Regina brought her hands up to Rumpelstiltskin's face, reveling in the unique texture of his gold-dusted skin beneath her finger tips before pulling him down to her and capturing his lips with hers for a kiss that was as sweet as it was passionate.

The embrace encouraged the movement of their entwined bodies, and coherent thought fled entirely as pleasure took over and they were lost.

"You definitely weren't kidding when you said this would last for a while," Regina groaned a few days later, barely able to lift her head from where it was resting on an equally exhausted Rumpelstiltskin's chest.

The love potion had ignited an insatiable hunger for each other that had resulted in the pair making love in nearly every room of the Dark Castle, and neither was sure how they had finally ended up in Rumpelstiltkin's bedroom.

Then again, they were too tired to care, and even though their passion for one another had finally reached a manageable level, it was far from gone.

Stretching lazily against her lover, the sorceress traced invisible figures along the goblin's bare skin, delighting in the soft, pleased sound he made when she lingered over more sensitive areas.

"Regina…if you start something you don't intend to finish," he began.

She ceased tormenting him and shook her head. "I'm spent for the moment."

"Your hands seem to have a different idea."

Chuckling, she shifted in order to gaze down at him. "Never could control them that well."

An amused grin crossed his face and he bridged the tiny space between them in order to bestow a kiss that told her he didn't really mind.

Sighing happily, Regina tugged back to nuzzle her nose against his. "I've been meaning to ask you something…something that might make you a bit uncomfortable, actually."

"Oh? Now I'm curious."

She bit at her lower lip in a manner he had always found adorable. "It's about my mother. I know that you taught her magic when she was a young woman and I couldn't help but wonder if you…well…taught her love potions too?"

He looked almost comically revolted at the mere thought. "_Why_ would you even ask that?"

"Because I know my mother…I know how much she covets power and you represent the ultimate form of power, and I just…"

He interrupted her rambling by placing his fingers lightly over her mouth. "Gin…your mother was many things, but nothing romantic ever happened between us, and there's a reason for that."

She blinked. "And what was that?"

"You know I can see the future, right?"

Regina nodded.

"Well…I saw you. I saw the woman you would become…and I fell in love. It's always been you, Regina. I fell in love with _you_."

Her heart leapt at his words. "Really?"

"Really," and, determined not to let the mood die entirely, he leaned up and kissed her romantically before bearing her back against the pillows.

They parted for air, and Regina weaved her fingers into the silken waves of his hair before whispering: "That was quite a love confession."

"I have my moments."

"Well…" she grinned and cuddled closer. "Just for the record: it's always been you too."

Clearly, that was the response he was hoping for, because when he kissed her again, Regina realized that _always_…had finally turned into forever.

The End


End file.
